Caption: Venus flytraps. Researcher using a magnifying glass to examine venus flytraps (Dionaea muscipula). Venus flytraps are carnivorous plants that trap insects within their leaves. When an insect crawling along the leaf contacts two or more hairs within 20 seconds of each other, the two lobes of the leaf slam shut, trapping the insect between them. Enzymes are then excreted from the glands to dissolve the prey, and the plant absorbs the resulting nutrients.